FINAL WORD
As global and local regulations tighten, businesses that fail to manage their resource consumption and waste effectively could face reputational damage, compliance penalties, and exclusion from supply chains focused on ESG procurement, posing both an environmental and a business risk.
Altron Document Solutions believes that circular economy thinking is good, not only for the planet but also for business. Far from being a second-rate option, refurbished technology, such as refurbished equipment, is now a globally accepted standard.
Altron Document Solutions is the largest Xerox distributor in the world. It is the authorised Xerox distributor in 26 sub-Saharan countries offering the complete range of Xerox document equipment, software solutions and services.
Dan Smith, Head of Revenue Operations, Altron Document Solutions
IBIS World reports that Europe’ s Consumer Electronics Repair market size has reached € 3.1 billion as of 2024. Revenue volatility in this market is low, and revenue has grown at a CAGR of 7.2 % from 2019 to 2024. This indicates confidence in the activity and acceptance of the proposition not only from an environmental perspective but also from a financial and social perspective.
IDC, in their Refurbished Devices Multi Client Study, 2024, reports that 74 % of those surveyed already use or are planning to use refurbished printing devices in the next 2 years.
The drivers make for interesting reading:
Globally, e-waste is growing rapidly; around 50 million tons are generated annually, and a significant amount of that waste is shipped to Africa and Asia for recycling. According to the EPR Waste Association of South Africa, South Africans produce about 6.2kg of electronic waste per person per year.
That is 360,000 tons, equivalent to 432 laptops per minute. Of that total, around 12 % is formally recycled, and the vast majority goes straight to landfills, where it can leach harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, mercury, flame retardants, and certain phthalates into the soil and groundwater, posing a significant risk to human and environmental health.
• Cost motivates only 56 % of respondents
• The desire for sustainability at 40 % and policies for sustainability at 39 % are strong indicators that considerations are wider than financial
• Post-decision financial incentives, such as rebates or discounts, are driving consideration in 24 % of respondents
• 24 % also listen to recommendations from peers and other influences
An important fact to consider is that circular print solutions are only as good as the standards behind
According to the EPR Waste Association of South Africa, South Africans produce about 6.2kg of electronic waste per person per year.
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